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Grandfather rose and, in passing Shane’s chair, murmured, “Get along well, don’t they?”
Shane grunted, well aware now of the old man’s motives. Grandfather knew very well why Shane would never marry again. He also ought to have known that dangling Laura in front of him, like a carrot held out to entice a mule, was not going to work.
“What you need is a kick in the rear,” was Grandfather’s parting shot before exiting.
Despite himself, Shane carried to bed with him the image of the two heads—blond and black—bent over the sewing. He had to admit Laura really seemed to like his sister. As for Sage, she was obviously in the throes of heroine worship.
When he woke around three, he found himself weighing the pros and cons of Laura’s suggestion about—how had she put it?—a marriage of accommodation. He cast his mind over possible candidates among the women he knew, assessed them and, one by one, rejected them.
Cursing himself for even considering the idea, he turned over and tried to chase down sleep. But as fast as he reached for it, the faster it drew away.
Keep my little girl safe. He heard the echo of his mother’s words in his head. She’d known she was dying and hadn’t seemed frightened for herself, only for Sage. How easy it had seemed then to think he always would be able to protect his baby sister.
There must be a way. Unfortunately, the only idea he could think of that seemed likely to work had come from Laura, and that one was impossible. There might be more than one woman in the world he’d like to take to bed, but there wasn’t any he wanted to marry.
Marriage was a trap. A snare and a delusion. It brought grief and heartache and guilt. And in his mother’s case, disillusion and pain. He wanted no part of it.
Chapter Three
Laura was in good spirits as she and Shane rode out early in the cool of the morning. So far, there’d been no problem staying at the ranch. She welcomed the chance to make friends with Sage, although she’d never imagined she’d wind up teaching any girl to embroider.
It was a skill she hadn’t called up in years, but, as it turned out, she hadn’t forgotten. “Like riding a bicycle,” she said aloud.
Shane turned to look at her. “Bicycle?”
“I was thinking that we rarely forget skills we learned as children,” she told him.
“I was six when my father taught me how to whittle,” he said.
“I admire the mustang on your mantel. You’re really talented. I didn’t notice any other pieces, though.”
“Most of what I make goes to the shops to be sold. Keeps us eating.”
If the wild horse was any example, she thought his carvings ought to fetch top prices.
They rode in silence for a while, Laura enjoying the clean desert air and the sight of the snow-capped Sierra peaks in the distance. “What’s the altitude here?” she asked.
“Over four thousand feet.” His glance was assessing. “Tends to bother people coming from near sea level.”
“So if I sleep in, that’s why?” she asked. Actually she’d had trouble forcing herself out of bed this morning. Sheer determination had fueled her I’ll-show-him attitude or she’d still be asleep.
He half-smiled. “Somehow, I don’t think you will.”
After another silence, he pointed to some sleek, streamlined clouds drifting over the Sierra peaks. “Lenticulars. Some weather heading our way. You can feel the dampness in the air.”
“You’re the local weather expert—I’ll take your word for it.”
“Smell the air.”
It was an order, so she did. His raised eyebrows told her that he expected a comment.
“The scent of sage is maybe a bit stronger than usual.”
He nodded. “Damp air.”
She wondered if she’d passed some kind of test. Not that she cared. No, wait, that wasn’t true. She did want to impress upon him that she wasn’t a person to be given the slowest, safest mare in the corral. She was a professional who knew what she was doing, and sooner or later he’d be forced to recognize it.
A plume of dust caught her eye. Before she could point it out, he said, “We’ll head for those cottonwoods to the right. They run along a stream, and chances are the herd’s coming to the water. If we get there first and stay still, we won’t spook ’em.”
He was right. As they waited under the branches covered with the bright green leaves of early June, the mustangs they’d spotted gathered upstream—five of them. To her disappointment, the calico pinto mare wasn’t among them. In fact—weren’t they all stallions?
“Is that what they call a bachelor herd?” she asked in a low tone, admiring a white horse a bit smaller than the others.
“Right. All young males who haven’t collected a harem yet.”
As they watched the mustangs drink, then wheel and trot off, Laura was once again awed by their fluid grace. She’d never imagined she’d be so moved by the sight of wild horses.
“Might as well dismount and take a break,” Shane said.
Somewhat surprised, since they hadn’t been riding long, she agreed. Once off the mare, she wandered down to the stream—narrow, but containing a respectable amount of water. From what her brother had told her about Nevada, she figured this was snow-melt and that, later in the summer, the creek might run dry.
Dipping her fingers in the cold water confirmed her guess. Rejoining Shane near the trunk of a good-sized tree, she turned up her face for a moment to feel the warmth of the sun filtering through the leafy branches. What a peaceful scene. She’d have relaxed completely if only she hadn’t been so aware of the man standing no more that two feet away.
“I’ve been doing some thinking,” he said, not looking at her.
She waited. When he didn’t go on, she asked, “About what?”
“About what you said.”
She’d said a lot of things. “You’ll have to be specific.”
Shane flicked her a glance. This was going to be even harder than he’d thought. He sure as hell didn’t want to say what must be said or do what must be done. The trouble was, he couldn’t figure any other way.
When he’d roused in the grayness of pre-dawn, he’d seen the solution there before him, like jigsaw puzzle pieces fitted together, each piece a separate entity, but together creating a whole. Like a puzzle, it could be taken apart again, which was the only reason he’d considered it.
“It’s about my sister,” he said. “I didn’t tell you yesterday, but Judge Rankin warned me I ought to get married or else he’d have trouble letting me keep Sage. Then you talked about what you called a marriage of accommodation.”
She smiled at him. “Yes, I did. I really do think that’s your best choice at this point, since you don’t seem to have any woman in mind you really want to marry.”
“So you agree.”
He caught her nod from the corner of his eye. Good. This might turn out to be simpler than he’d figured. Still it was hard to get the words out.
“Grandfather seconds my choice,” he temporized. “In fact, it was his choice first.”
“All the better.”
Go for it, man, he told himself. Stop hedging. Facing her directly, he said, “Grandfather thinks you’re the perfect person for the judge to accept, and I’ve decided he’s right. Since I don’t want to get married and neither do you, we are, as the ads say, made for each other—at least as far as this situation goes.” He cut off his nervous babbling. Damn, but he was on edge.
She stared up at him, her mouth slightly open. He hadn’t before noticed how perfectly shaped her lips were. Not that it mattered. He kept waiting for her to speak, but she seemed dumbstruck.
“Well?” he muttered.
“I—uh—I—” She swallowed and stopped, looking as wild-eyed as a frightened mustang.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded. “It was your idea.”
“Well, yes, but I didn’t mean me,” she sputtered. “I can’t—I couldn’t possibly. No.”
“Why not? It’s not like it’s for real.”
“But you—that is, I—what I mean is, I don’t want to expose myself to—” She broke off, looking away from him.
“Expose yourself to what? Me? Hell, I thought you understood I don’t want anything from you except your agreement to be a wife on paper.”
“I do understand that. But I—”
“You’re scared.”
“No!”
He laid a hand on her shoulder, removing it before she could flinch away. “Then why are you trembling?” he asked. “You remind me of a spooked mare.”
With great effort, Laura pulled herself together. There was no use trying to explain. Shane couldn’t possibly understand why she was “spooked.”
“I’m sorry,” she said stiffly. “I just can’t. Shall we get on with our ride?”
They’d made a sweep of one section of the reservation without coming across any mustangs before Shane suggested they start back. Up until then, neither of them had said a word.
“We’ll be taking a day off tomorrow,” he added. “No point in riding in the rain, and it’ll give me a chance to get into town.”
Laura had no doubt it would rain. Even she could now feel the change in the air—which corresponded to a change in her. Though she still viewed his proposal askance, she was beginning to ask herself if she hadn’t overreacted.
Shane didn’t want to get married any more than she did. Surely he’d be amenable to putting everything in writing—separate rooms and all that. Did she believe he’d abide by the written agreement? That was the poser.
Supposing she did believe he would—could she then tolerate the idea of such a marriage?
When they reached the barn, she was still pondering the possibility. Seeing Sage come running out to meet them, her face alight with welcome, Laura’s heart contracted. How vulnerable the girl was. Sage must never be allowed to go through anything even vaguely similar to what had happened to her when she was young. Never!
I’ll talk to Grandfather, Laura decided. He knows Shane far better than I.
Her chance came almost immediately. Sage had been invited to Donna’s house for a sleepover and wanted Shane’s permission. When he gave it, she then needed a ride to her friend’s house, some distance away.
“I’m sorry I didn’t start supper,” Sage said to Laura. “I was going to make chicken enchiladas. Donna’s mom showed me how, and I wrote it down. It’s real easy.”
Laura smiled at her. “That’s good, because I’ve never made them. I can cook, though, honest.”
“Oh, I knew you could cook. I expect you can do most anything. But this recipe is sort of different ’cause there’s no tomatoes in it. You don’t mind having to get supper ready?”
Laura shook her head. “Not a bit. You go and enjoy the sleepover with Donna.”
“Is it all right if I hug you goodbye?” Sage asked, when she had her sleeping gear piled by the door.
Laura responded by hugging Sage. “Have a good time,” she told the girl.
After the door closed behind Shane and his sister, Laura sighed. How long had it been since she’d hugged anyone? Not since she’d last seen her brother and his wife and their son Tim. She hadn’t visited them yet on this trip to Nevada because she’d wanted to start working first.
She walked slowly back into the kitchen and found Grandfather seated at the table with a glass of iced tea. “Sage made you some without sugar,” he said, nodding his head toward the refrigerator.
After pouring herself a glass, Laura sat down across from him.
“You got the look of someone with a troubled heart,” he said.
“It’s Sage,” she said, approaching the subject at a tangent. “She doesn’t want to leave you and Shane and it sounds as though she may have to unless—” She hesitated, uncertain how to go on.
“Unless you marry Shane.”
Laura blinked. How did he know? “Has Shane discussed this with you?” she asked.
Grandfather shook his head. “Sage and I had it all figured out he’d have to marry someone. Problem was, we knew he wouldn’t take on just anyone. Then I had this dream just before you came along. The minute we set eyes on you, Sage and I knew you’d been sent.”
“Sent?” she faltered.
“Yup. You see, that no-account pa of Sage’s got off the booze a couple of years ago, got himself a good job and, I figure, a good woman like my daughter was. I asked a friend who lives down that way to find out who she is, and he says she’s got Miwok blood. That’s one of the California tribes. I don’t say that makes her perfect.” He grinned and added, “But I’m prejudiced.”
“I still don’t see what that has to do with me.”
“Look at it from Judge Rankin’s side. He might figure Sage should have a chance to be a part of two cultures and here she is living on a Paiute reservation when she could be living with her pa and a new stepmother who’s got some of the blood. Two cultures, right there. That’s where you come in. The judge looks at you and says, hey, two cultures right here on the res, why move the kid?”
Why you old schemer, she thought, annoyance mixed with amusement. You were planning to marry me off to Shane practically from the moment I walked in the door. And for all I know, even before. No wonder Sage asked if I was married.
“Did you put Shane up to asking me?” she demanded.
He shook his head. “I know better. I might have pointed out how well you and Sage got along, but you can’t push that stubborn one.”
“Well, he did ask me and I refused.”
“Figured you might.”
Laura blinked at him. “You didn’t think I’d agree?”
“Not till you had some time to think it over. I saw how you got on with Sage—you like her as much as she does you.”
“That’s true. But, still—marriage is another matter entirely.”
“Raised that boy. Never saw him break his word. You set the rules, and he’ll stick to ’em.”
She stared into Grandfather’s wise, dark eyes and decided to confide in him—up to a point. “I couldn’t possibly agree to marry any man. Not if he expected me to actually be his wife.”
